SRINAGAR: J&K Police’s counter intelligence wing in Kashmir (CIK) has arrested a Srinagar resident operating a radical social media handle by the name of Shaddy Kashmir Dryfruits “to disseminate extremist content with an intention to disturb peace”.
The accused, Showkat Ahmad Dar, was found to be “actively engaged in posting and sharing content aimed at glorifying terrorism and terrorist commanders and inciting anti-national sentiments among young minds”, CIK said on Tuesday.
The arrest was made after the special monitoring units established by social media companies on the directions of intelligence agencies flagged the extremist propaganda being run by the handle.
A swift investigation led to the identification of the suspect behind the handle. Efforts to track him were initially hindered because of his constant movement and change of location, but he was eventually apprehended.
A preliminary inspection of Dar’s digital devices provided access to his Facebook account and some incriminating materials, including a video of terrorist commander Zakir Rashid Bhat alias Zakir Musa, who was killed on May 23, 2019.
Dar, police said, has a history of radical activities. “He was previously arrested in 2019 for involvement in stone-pelting. In 2022, he was detained by Srinagar’s cyber police station for online dissemination of radical content.
His arrest highlighted “the commitment of law enforcement agencies to curb online radicalisation and safeguard the youth from extremist influences”, a police statement said.
